As illustrated in FIG. 1, a civil aeroplane comprises a cabin 10 with a nose cone 12 in the nose, containing in particular a cockpit and an avionics bay. This nose cone 12 comprises numerous electrical cabinets 14 which are tending to occupy more and more room having regard to the growing needs in respect of electrical functions. These electrical cabinets 14 are generally situated in the avionics bay. However, some may also be integrated into the cockpit. In this case, the electrical cabinets must share the space with the other elements of the cockpit. Hence, it is necessary for these cabinets to be relatively compact and for it to be possible to link them to the remainder of the electrical circuit of the aircraft under good conditions for the operators who have to share this restricted space with other operators responsible for mounting other elements in the cockpit.
Regarding the electrical network of the aircraft, the latter is organized as electrical harnesses grouping together several electrical cables because of safety-related production and segregation issues of concern. These electrical harnesses run in the nose cone so that the electrical cables are linked to the electrical cabinets.
According to a known embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2, in accordance with the Arinc 600 standard, an electrical cabinet 14 comprises several modules 16 distributed over several shelves (a single one is represented in FIG. 2).
Each module 16, associated with one or more electrical functions, comprises at least one input cable 18 and at least one output cable 20 and at least one component making it possible to handle the electrical signal between the input cable 18 and the output cable 20. The expression “handling the electrical signal” is understood to mean any action on the said signal, namely either a modification or simple checking or reading.
The input cables 18 and the output cables 20 are organized and grouped into lanes 22.1 to 22.4 inside the cupboard so as to be in phase with the electrical harnesses of the aircraft.
The electrical cabinet 16 comprises at the level of each of its vertical sides isolator panels 24 at the level of which are provided means for connection between the lanes 22.1 to 22.4 of the electrical cabinet and the harnesses 26.1 to 26.4 of the electrical circuit of the aircraft.
In the rear part of the cabinet, there are also cables ensuring electrical linking between two modules of one and the same shelf or of different shelves. In the latter case, the electrical cables can be grouped together in the form of electrical harnesses 28 which extend over at least a part of the height of the cabinet at the level of its rear part.
This design leads to bulky cabinets with a relatively low density of components.
In the avionics sector, there is another standard termed IMA (Integrated Modular Avionics) which proposes that the modules be placed as close as possible to the needs, thereby leading to a non-centralized architecture as in the case of the Arinc 600 standard but positioned throughout the aircraft. According to this new standard illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the electrical functions take the form of boards 30 also called PCB boards grouped together in a box 32 comprising a chassis with a motherboard 34 at the rear into which the PCB boards 30 are plugged. This motherboard 34 comprises ports 36 making it possible to link input or output cables 38.
These cables 38 are thereafter organized and grouped into lanes so as to be in phase with the electrical harnesses of the aircraft. The lanes of cables 38 are connected to the electrical harnesses 40 of the aircraft at the level of isolator panels 42.
This type of architecture makes it possible to obtain a more compact assembly in so far as the PCB boards 30 make it possible to link, without any cable, the components necessary for ensuring the functions.
In addition, the motherboard 34 can comprise circuits making it possible to ensure the link between the PCB boards 30 of one and the same box 32, thereby tending to dispense with certain cables relative to the architecture of Arinc 600 type.
However, when two PCB boards 30 supported by different motherboards must be electrically linked, it is necessary to make provision for an electrical cable which travels via the electrical harnesses of the circuit of the aircraft.
According to another drawback, if these elements are arranged in the form of a cabinet and if each motherboard 34 corresponds to a shelf then such a cabinet comprises as previously a zone 44 where the cables 38 are organized and grouped into lanes so as to be in phase with the electrical harnesses of the aircraft, thereby tending to increase the volume of the cabinet and preventing optimization of the density of the components.
In the same regard, for certain electrical cabinets called electrical cores 46 (visible in FIG. 1), it is necessary to make provision for sufficient space at the rear to be able to link generating cables 48.1 to 48.3 by way of lugs, as is illustrated in FIG. 5. These cables which extend from the motorizations to the electrical core have significant cross-sections having regard to the electrical powers transferred, these cross-sections being all the more significant as they are made of aluminium alloy for a weight saving. Because of their significant cross-sections and their stiffnesses, these cables need a significant radius of curvature and have difficulty running in a restricted volume.
As illustrated in FIG. 6, the generating cables 48.1 to 48.3 comprise for each phase at least two conductors, thereby tending to increase their stiffnesses.
Having regard to the stiffnesses of the cables and the lack of precision of their positionings, the segregation distance L (also called guard) between the cables is significant, thereby going counter to a run in a restricted volume.
According to another issue of concern, the floor at the rear of the electrical core 46 is not flat and follows the profile of the fuselage, thereby rendering the connection of the generating cables more difficult.
In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.